The Orioles have claimed infielder Richard Urena off waivers from the Blue Jays, per a club announcement. Fellow infielder Pat Valaika was designated for assignment to create roster space.
Urena becomes the latest young infielder to earn a look in Baltimore. Of course, the same would’ve been said of Valaika, who was claimed earlier in the offseason but now ends up back in DFA limbo. He could still get a shot in camp if he clears waivers and remains with the Baltimore organization.
The O’s will hope that there’s still some development left for Urena, who hasn’t quite grown into the promise he has shown at times. He’s still over a month shy of his 24th birthday and hasn’t received consistent opportunities in the majors, though he has struggled about as much at the plate in the upper minors as he has at the MLB level.
Urena has turned in a .367 OBP through 159 plate appearances in the Dominican Winter League. But that’s driven by a lofty batting average (.292) and hasn’t come with much power (2 home runs, .365 slugging percentage). Perhaps he can squeak onto the roster as a utility player even if he doesn’t show an uptick with the bat. Otherwise, the out-of-options Urena could end up being exposed to waivers once again.
If the Rox claim Valaika I will laugh a lot
clear upgrade
From Valaika maybe, but not over any real major leaguer..
Very solid pick up, sad to see the jays loose him
Last year Dwight Smith Jr and now in 2020 Urena from the Blue Jays. Why not?….
Smith kind of sucks
Smith was a -0.9WAR last year.
The Orioles love guys named Richard, clearly.
I think someone predicted that the O’s would get him in the thread that reported his DFA by the Jays. Made sense then and now it has come to fruition.
Yup, called it.
Urena is a good ballplayer. Better than some on the current Jays 40 roster which makes one wonder. I guess they couldn’t trade him or package him in a bigger deal. I wonder if they tried before DFA’ing him.
Good pickup by the Orioles.
He hasn’t even been an average hitter in the minor leagues since 2016. He’s a bad hitter with a terrible approach who’s above average defensively. Meh
Above average defensively with some wheels is all you need from your 26th man and backup SS. If he could hit he would start. He can’t. Backup material the Jays weren’t prepared to keep over the other garbage backup candidate Valera.
Yep. Jimmer wrote two weeks ago:
“Another starting position player for the Baltimore Orioles.”
I upvoted the comment as it worked as both sarcasm and factual inevitability.
Sarcasm towards the hopeless Orioles, not Urena. I hope he does well.
I will be made fun of for this but I think this kid is going to end up hitting. Never got an extended look. Finished up 2018 quite strong.
Never got an extended look? Who do you think that was masquerading as him for the last 7 seasons through 3,600 PA’s of .691 OPS? A body double?
Pretty sure he meant in the majors cause sure as hell doesn’t have 3,600 PA’s at the majors
Duplicate post:
Yup, called it.
Urena is a good ballplayer. Better than some on the current Jays 40 roster which makes one wonder. I guess they couldn’t trade him or package him in a bigger deal. I wonder if they tried before DFA’ing him.
Good pickup by the Orioles.
@jimmerteebraggerboy, don’t break your arm patting yourself on your back, but if you do break your arm patting yourself on your back, please hold off patting your back until after you have put $1 in the bad post jar for self promotion and bragging. Thank you!
What makes you think he will hit? His 70wRC+ over the past two seasons?
His major league numbers are too small to really draw any conclusions from. His upper minor numbers are a better indicator for a guy w so few ML PA’s. He hasn’t hit at those levels really at all. I wouldn’t count on a breakout here. Being a better option than Pat Valaika isn’t saying all that much. The orioles are paper thin in upper minor league MIF depth. This really could’ve been a play to bolster that with Valaika and Urena. With the assumption that Valaika is unclaimed.
Yeah but Jimmertree has scout eyes and says he’s good.
MLB OPS 0.636 241 ABs, AAA OPS 0.662 619 ABs, AA OPS 0.652 634 ABs. Only 23, baseball reference projects with 2020 OPS to be 0.724…
baseball-reference.com/players/u/urenari01.shtml
Hate to see Valaika go for now. Maybe he will clear waivers and stay with the Orioles. Urena is a solid pickup and with an opportunity of playing time maybe he can man 2B. I would put Alberto at 3B. Orioles have Wilkerson as a utility player but having Valaika around would be a great addition.
Please, Valaika has a career -1.6 WAR…
baseball-reference.com/players/v/valaipa01.shtml
I know a lot of people go by WAR statistics these days but if given the chance the kid can hit. Look at his 2017 stats. The most at bats he has ever gotten (110) in the majors and produced 13 HR and 40 RBI and with an OPS of .817
No I refuse to look at his 2017 stats…also you provide games played 110 not ABs 182. I will only look at his 2018 stats in which he recorded a pitcher-like OPS of 0.460 over 122 ABs. The kid could may be hit in 2017 but then he couldn’t hit in 2018. Your turn…
Everyone has a down year. He is more versatile than anyone on the roster. He can play 2B,SS, and the outfield. Tampa does it ever year almost with these type of players. With Baltimore being a small market team they have to do the same thing. Look at Alberto. He could not hit the broad sign of the barn until he came to the Orioles.
No chance for Alberto to play 3B. He will be the every day second baseman until he proves he can’t be. Nunez will get a lot of time at third, providing his arm didn’t fall off., with Ruiz having earned at least a roster spot. The DH slot needs to be available when Mountcastle gets called up in June after his Super Two status gets resolved.
Anyone the Orioles adds at this point is only keeping a seat warm until they see how Martin, Bannon & McCoy play in the minors to start the season.
Bannon could be our starting 2B by August. If Alberto hits again this year I’m sure teams will be calling for his services as a utility man. They want Martin to get everyday PT so unless Iglesias is dealt or abysmal I don’t expect to see him. Mason McCoy is a utility infielder at best, but he could displace Urena or Wilkerson on the 40 man next offseason. Whichever one isn’t displaced by Bannon. Though it wouldn’t be surprising to see McCoy left unprotected for the rule 5 draft. Just not a lot of upside there.
Though I don’t expect any of those names I just listed to be a long term solution. They all look like stopgaps til we draft/sign better prospects or Adam Hall and Gunnar Henderson take their spots.
Be nice if Bannon got some playing time at 2B at Norfolk then…
Hall MLB ETA is early 2022, Henderson MLB ETA is mid 2023…
fangraphs.com/roster-resource/depth-charts/orioles
Martin was a wasted space on the roster last year. A worthy gamble but will not hit in AAA either.
Here is the template for all future Orioles transactions:
Player A becomes the latest young Position B to earn a look in Baltimore. Of course, the same would’ve been said of Player C, who was claimed earlier in the offseason but now ends up back in DFA limbo. He could still get a shot in camp if he clears waivers and remains with the Baltimore organization.
Yawn
That is the nature of the game now. I think Tampa every year leads the league in transactions
Can’t really say this is much of a loss for the Jay’s however it is a bit confusing since he is 23 and the Jay’s don’t have a real SS backup. One would have thought he had a good shot at the 26th spot to be the SS backup to Bichette.
Urena isn’t a strong hitter but he has some nice raw tools with good defensive ability and speed.
Jays must see something in Valera. Urena would have been fine as the backup SS with minimal stick. Just play D and play it well.